Category: Social Good

When deciding to open its first satellite office in the Augusta area, Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA’s Job Connectionsm chose the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center to work closely with other community resources and to help serve new clients. The Kroc Center’s First Stop Family Service Center is a facility where people in need can receive assistance through a partnership of social service organizations such as Goodwill Industries.

READ MORE from Goodwill®, Salvation Army Join Forces to Jump Start Careers in Augusta, GA

Earlier this summer, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois (Rockford) ­­awarded $15,000 for two scholarships to assist persons at Rock Valley College who face challenges to advancing their education. The scholarships — designed to enable the recipients to build a better future for themselves, their families and the entire community — were made possible by funds raised from the Goodwill’s Diva Dress Sale and Fashion Show last March.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Scholarships Support IL Students Facing Challenges to Education

Military veterans are well positioned to meet the demands of a skilled and committed workforce. Sharing veterans’ stories can be transformative for all involved; the act is both empowering for the veteran and meaningful for the viewing audience. We invite you to check out our Homefront Chats initiative, a video-based storytelling project by 15 veterans participating in Goodwill's Operation: GoodJobs program.

READ MORE from New Video Series a Continuation of Goodwill’s Commitment to Supporting Veterans

To keep unwanted college items out of landfills and put them in the hands of people who can use them, Goodwill Industries of Denver partners with local colleges and universities to set up Goodwill donation stations during move-out time. This spring, the agency partnered for the first time with the University of Colorado-Boulder Environmental Center, establishing 23 donation stations in the lobbies of the university’s residence halls, as well as near dumpsters.

READ MORE from Denver Goodwill, CU-Boulder Collect 21 Tons of Donations during Campus Move Out

LiNKS Sign Language and Interpreting Services, a division of Goodwill Serving the People of Los Angeles County (CA), recently celebrated its first graduating class in health care interpreting training.

READ MORE from CA Goodwill® Graduates First Health Care Interpreting Class

Low-income individuals with chronic mental health challenges in the Madison, WI, area are benefiting from expanded housing opportunities, thanks to a new apartment building recently opened by Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin

READ MORE from Goodwill Expands Housing for People with Mental Illness in Wisconsin

Thirty-one program participants with developmental disabilities have lost more than 165 pounds since August 2011, thanks to the ‘Get Fit Club’ health and exercise initiative implemented by Goodwill Industries-Suncoast (FL). To combat the weight gain and low energy participants experienced due to poor eating habits and a lack of exercise, the Goodwill® has added exercise breaks and nutrition education as part of their six-hour work shifts.

READ MORE from Workers with Disabilities Stay Fit in Florida Goodwill Health Program

More than 100 teens from 29 parishes in north and central Louisiana got a little taste of reality during Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana’s (Shreveport) Reality City event. During the event, youth encountered real-life scenarios, including buying a car, renting or buying a house, applying for car insurance and health insurance, buying groceries and clothing, putting children in daycare, going to the doctor and more.

READ MORE from LA Teens Experience Life as Adults at Goodwill® Reality Event

Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest (based in Spokane, WA) recently collected an estimated 256,000 pounds of televisions, computers, monitors and other household electronics -- more than they process in two months -- in a single day, thanks to a partnership with its regional NBC affiliate.

READ MORE from WA Goodwill Collects Two Months of E-Waste in a Single Day

Five Goodwill® agencies were among recipients of the latest round of grants under the U.S. Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Grants. The agencies collectively earned more than $1 million in funding to help provide homeless veterans with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers.

READ MORE from Five Goodwills to Train Homeless Veterans for Jobs with DOL Grants

At least one in six youth ages 16-24 — or more than 6.7 million young people — are unemployed and not in school. In December 2010, President Obama called upon 25 leaders, including Goodwill Industries International President and CEO Jim Gibbons, from the private, nonprofit and government sectors to address key community challenges and create opportunities for these youth and help them find paths to training, support and jobs.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Affirms Commitment to Youth Education, Employment

Adults in seven Ohio counties are learning important computer and Internet skills needed to be successful in today’s workforce, thanks to a new partnership between Goodwill Industries of South Central Ohio and Connect Ohio.

READ MORE from OH Goodwill Connects Community to Free Computer Training